Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
by Night Music
Summary: After hearing about Silver’s execution, Jim falls into a state of terrible despair. Is there anyone that can pull him out of it again?


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Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

By: NightMusic

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Author's Note: 

- This story is a sequel to Raine Ishida's "Good-bye, My Soul". It was written with expressed permission from her.

- This is just a short one-piece fiction. Heh, I felt inspired and so I wrote. 

- Also, I'm not a slash-writer and I never thought of Jim & Silver's relationship as slash-y. However, I do think they have a very, very beautiful friendship. This fiction is my own exploration of how deep this friendship goes…no slash involved.

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Summary: After hearing about Silver's execution, Jim falls into a state of terrible despair. Is there anything that can pull him out of it again?

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Dedication: This story is dedicated to Raine Ishida for inspiring my first Treasure Planet fan fiction. Hah, it was only a matter of time before I finally gave into the urge to write one, eh? Thank you for being such an inspiration to me through each of your Treasure Planet stories.

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Disclaimer: As always, none of the characters are mine. They belong strictly to Disney. The song that was my source of inspiration is "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from ALW's 'Phantom of the Opera'. Obviously I don't own this either.

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You were once my one companion

You were all that mattered

You were once a friend and father

Then my world was shattered

Wishing you were somehow here again

Wishing you were somehow near

Sometimes it seemed, if I just dreamed

Somehow you would be here

Wishing I could hear your voice again

Knowing that I never would

Dreaming of you won't help me to do

All that you dreamed I could.

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Sarah Hawkins gave a quiet sigh as she leaned her lithe body against the frame of the open doorway. Inside the dark room her son slept fitfully, his body curled up tightly in a fetal position and his hand fiercely clutching at his pillow. How often she would stand at his doorway, watching him writhe and moan in his sleep, tormented by the visions that graced his mind. On the occasion he would give the softest cry or whimper words quietly that she did not understand, tossing his body about on the bed as though to escape the demons that lurked within his dreams. He struggled and fought with an unknown creature, and all she could do was stand by and watch helplessly.

"He's been like this for nearly three months now," Sarah spoke quietly, feeling a few tears prick at her eyes at the familiar sight of her son in this terrible pain. "I just don't know what to do for him anymore. I try sitting up with him but my presence does no good against his dreams. I try waking him from his nightmares but the moment his eyes close they haunt him again. I try asking him to tell me what it is that plagues him so but he only looks at me with these sad, dead eyes and tells me he doesn't remember." 

The two figures that stood outside of Jim's door were silent as they heard an abrupt shifting of the mattress and a low moan of pain come from inside the dark room. Had they awakened the boy? No, no he was too trapped in his frightful slumber to hear any voices that existed in reality. They remained still and poised outside the door until Sarah gave a sigh, looking away to lean her back against the wall. 

"But I know he remembers," she continued in her soft, sad voice. "I know he remembers his dreams. I can see it in the way he broods and walks about at night, not wanting to return to bed for fear they will plague him again. He eats very little and the few companions he had have all stopped coming to call upon him. He refuses any company, even my own, preferring to simply be left to himself. I've gotten several letters from the commanders at the Academy that he is not attending his classes and that if he continues to miss them he will be expelled. There was one evening when he failed to come home altogether and when I went out looking for him I found him sitting by the sea just the same as when I found him the night..." Her words trailed off and she shook her head slightly, glancing off down the long hallway.

The dark form that she spoke to turned his gaze away from the bedroom as well and looked to the lovely young woman that stood before him. He noted her hesitation but gently prompted her to continue anyway. "The night…?" 

Sarah pursed her lips tightly together, running her hands over her arms almost as though to stop a chill that had suddenly taken hold of her. "The night…that his dreams began," she finished in a meek voice that held a hint of a tremor to it. Her small hand rose and played with the locket at her neck out of habit as she forced her gaze back into the room. "I found him sitting by the sea…just crying. I knew he was upset and I offered him whatever comfort I could but there is only so much a person can do for someone who is truly in mourning. I assumed that given a few days he would be better…but…" She stopped short, shaking her head as a teardrop coursed its way down her smooth cheek. "Oh, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. It's just that… Oh, it's just been so hard. So very hard." Her words stopped short as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, raising a hand to press at her lips so as to hold back a sob.

The figure that stood with her reached out his hand and rested it lightly on her shoulder, not sure how exactly to comfort the young lady. This was a very proud, strong woman, he could tell that by just looking at her. Yet he hated the fact that she felt she had to keep up her strong façade even in the presence of her dearest friends. Even the toughest people suffered their wounds from time to time and needed to be comforted. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief, offering it out to her.

Sniffling quietly, Sarah took the handkerchief with a small smile and a nod of her head. "Thank you," she whispered, dabbing at her dark eyes and swiping the tears away from her face. Almost as quickly as she had discarded her mask of strength, she resumed it once more as she cleared her throat and spoke again in a steadier voice. "When Jim's father left me, I was forced to sit by and watch as Jim slipped more and more from my grasp. I was losing my baby boy and gaining a moody teenager." She gave a small laugh and the figure smirked knowingly. "I had all but given up hope of ever having him back. Then, after he went on that voyage to Treasure Planet, everything was different. He had gained that fierce love of life that he once had back. He seemed to have finally found his path in the grand scheme of things. He excelled in everything he did. But…since these dreams started…I've seen him fall back into that state of despair. Only this time it is far worse than I could have ever imagined." Those dark, brown eyes that shimmered with unshed tears turned back towards the one with whom she spoke as she murmured. "This time…I fear that I might lose him forever."

"Mrs. Hawkins?" a voice broke into the conversation, and the two people turned to see an older girl approaching down the hallway, drying her hands on a dishrag "The patrons have all left the dining hall and the guests have all retired to their rooms for the evening. May I go on and lock up? I promised Seth I would meet him tonight and I don't want to be late."

Sarah gave another quiet sniff and cleared her throat again before offering a small, genuine smile of gratitude to the girl. "Yes, of course, Catherine, thank you. Don't worry about cleaning up the kitchen, I'll get that done. You go on and have fun."

The girl beamed a beautiful smile, quickly reaching behind her back to untie the apron that rested about her waist. "Oh, thank you, Mrs. Hawkins. I shall. A good evening to you." She nodded to both Sarah and the other man in turn and then quickly walked off down the hallway.

Sarah turned back, giving a soft laugh as she quickly dabbed away the few remaining tears that had stained her cheeks with their wet trail. "Well, you must forgive me, but I have to go attend to the kitchen. Morning comes far too early around here." She gave another sniff, attempting to cover over it with a light cough and a shake of her head. Beautiful, sad eyes turned once more towards her son's bedroom before she pivoted slowly on her heel and moved to walk away. When she did not hear a sound behind her, she paused briefly at the top of the stairs and saw that the dark figure was still staring into the room forlornly, making no movement to follow her. Her heart ached at the sight, reading that terrible amount of sadness in this man's stance…the same kind of sadness that now haunted her son. 

"Go to him," Sarah softly whispered and the figure turned to look at her, almost as though he was surprised she was still there. Her pleading eyes locked with his own as she motioned once again towards the bedroom with a small hand. "Please. You're the only one that can give me my boy back." There was another lengthy pause as the two figures stood there regarding each other for the longest time, and then Sarah finally turned and silently descended the stairs.

The large man watched the woman disappear down into the welcoming warmth of the dining hall below, his gaze only leaving her when she was out of sight. Then he slowly, almost unwillingly, looked back at the dark room. Suddenly he wasn't so sure if he was ready for this. Clearly Jim was much worse off then he could ever have imagined. Still, if there were anything he could do to soothe the boy's pain…

With a soft whirring of gears and the clinking of metal against metal, the old cyborg cautiously entered into the room.

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The sound of a drum being played was what started the dream. Every time. Those terrible drums that announced that an execution was about to begin. It drew people's eyes and they would turn in the streets as a cart hovered past them with the day's prisoner in tow. People would stop whatever they were doing and follow behind the low-flying cart, throwing rotten vegetables and cruel words at whoever stood within. This procession could go on for miles as the prisoner faced this terrible form of humiliation so that when they stood upon the executioner's scaffold they would be completely stripped of whatever dignity they may have once held.

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Jim looked up at the sound of the drums being played and he heard the loud, angry cries of a crowd. They were swelling in tempo and seemed to fill his head as he turned about slowly, trying to see who it was that they cried out so loudly against. A mob was beginning to form and he couldn't see around all of the people. What poor soul could be the cause of so much uproar and commotion? 

"Kill him! Kill the pirate! Kill Silver!"

Jim felt his heart begin to race with fear. Kill Silver? No, surely it could not be…but, yet, as the screaming crowd drew closer, Jim saw the strong, proud frame of that old cyborg, wrists manacled together as he was pulled down the streets slowly in the prisoner's cart. A rotten purp was thrown in the pirate's direction, striking him in his broad chest. The juice that ran down looked like dark blood pouring straight from his heart.

Jim shook his head in horror at the scene. "Silver!" he tried to call out, but the screams of the angry mob were too much. He had to clap his hands over his ears at the rising sound. He shook his head, trying to free it of the voices that crashed over him like a massive wave.

"Kill the pirate! Kill the pirate!" the voices chanted, fists rising into the air to mark their words.

Jim forced his hands away from his ears and looked upon the tall, proud figure of his friend as he stood with his head held as high as ever, almost seeming to dare anyone to come near him. People swarmed all about. Evil, demonic faces led the crowd in its chanting, almost seeming to laugh at Jim.

"Silver!" the young boy called out, trying to push his way through the crowd. He looked down and saw blood running from the wagon and covering the street. He continued to push and shove, but no one would let him through. They turned and laughed at him even as he cried out once again in the loudest voice he could. "Silver, please, no!"

At that moment, the cyborg turned his head sharply, almost as though he had heard Jim's voice above all those in the crowd. Jim could see the pirate's lips form his name, looking through the mob for any sign of him. 

"Silver!" Jim cried, waving his hands in the air to try and attract his attention. "Silver, I'm right here. I'm coming." But suddenly his body was paralyzed and he could move no further. Tears began to roll down his cheek. He tried to reach out for the man as the cart rolled right past him, but he couldn't move. His whole body was held in place by some invisible force. 

The cyborg continued to scan the crowd hopefully, trying to see his young friend amidst all of those evil, leering faces. He had heard Jim's voice. Yet there was no sign of him. No sign at all. Closing his eyes, Silver bowed his head in defeat as the cart rumbled right past the place where Jim stood crying out for him.

Suddenly the scene shifted and Jim stood at the front of that very same mob, eyes turned upward to look upon a scaffold. He blinked his eyes against the setting sun, raising a hand to shield his face from the glare, and beheld the sight of Silver standing there, a noose wrapped securely about his neck and his wrists chained in front of him. His eyes were shut and his head bowed in defeat just as Jim had seen him when the cart had drawn by him. A man stood off to the side with a large scroll in his hands, reading off the list of crimes that Silver had been found guilty of but Jim couldn't hear his words. All he could do was stare up at Silver in horror of what he knew what was about to happen.

"No!" he screamed out loudly, and all faces turned towards him with gasps of surprise. "You can't kill him! He's innocent! He's a good man!" Even as he cried out, Jim lunged towards the scaffold, knowing that he had to save his beloved mentor. Ladies screamed at the sight of this rash youth and two men jumped forward to block his way, catching him in their strong arms just before he could reach the planks. Jim struggled and kicked against the two men, screaming out Silver's name even as the cyborg locked eyes with him.

"Jimbo?" he murmured softly. He strained against the noose that held him in place, those bound wrists stretching out so that his hands reached towards the boy.

"Silver, please, don't leave me!" Jim cried, tears now rolling down his face in ragged sobs as he continued to fight against the two men in an attempt to get free. Again he saw those demonic faces all around him, laughing at his futile attempts even as the scaffold began to run with the same blood that the cart had run with. He stretched one hand outward, straining to grasp at the pirate's hand. "Please, you can't kill him! He's innocent! Please!"

All of a sudden the sound of a plank being dropped resounded in Jim's mind just as his fingers brushed up against those of Silver's. He tried to cling to them but they slipped through and Jim screamed out in horror as he watched his friend's body fall through the hole in the boards. A loud cheer went up from the crowd as the rope snapped taut, and the hideous sound of the pirate's neck cracking could be heard across all those that were assembled there. Jim screamed at the sight, but this time his voice was drowned out by the joyful cries of the crowd.

"Silver! No! Please, no! Silver!"

"No!" Jim screamed out as he shot up in his bed. His eyes darted about wildly as the scene of the gruesome execution faded away to be replaced by the darkness of his own room. The boy gasped for air, his heart pounding violently within him as he wiped a thin layer of sweat away from his forehead with the back of his hand. His whole body shook with the surge of emotions that had raced through him, and he drew his knees quickly up to his chest, dropping his head down to rest against the tops of them as he began to sob. 

Every night it was the same terrible dream. Every night he was forced to watch his friend die over and over and over again. You'd think that after having such a dream every night he would get used to it, but each new dream always seemed more real and more painful than the last. Each dream was always the opening of a new wound. Hearing Silver's gentle voice calling out for him. Seeing the hopeful glimmer in his one good eye at the sight of his friend. The feeling of their hands slipping through each other's grasp just before he…

Jim moaned miserably, pushing the mental image of Silver's large body dangling in a morbid dance from the end of the executioner's rope away. 

"Shh, easy now, lad," a soft voice spoke from off to his left, and Jim jumped at the sound, quickly pulling away from the direction in which it had come.

"Who's there?" he demanded fiercely, quickly swiping the tears that rolled down his face away. He squinted, trying to force his eyes to adjust to the darkness as his hand fumbled for his nightstand's drawer, carefully pulling a pistol from within it. "I said 'who's there'?"

A deep chuckle that was far too familiar filled the room. "A pistol? Now, is that any kind of welcome for an old friend, eh, Jimbo?" 

The weapon in Jim's hand began to shake as his heart skipped a beat within him at the sound of that voice. Tears came to those brown eyes and a soft voice whispered, "Silver?"

Again there was that deep chuckle, this time followed by the lighting of a match that caused Jim to cringe away from it slightly as his eyes protested the abrupt flare. When he slowly turned back again, almost afraid to look, he beheld the familiar figure of his mentor standing there in the candlelight with that cunning smile etched all the way across his face.

The pistol dropped from Jim's hands onto the bed and he shook his head slowly, his chest rising and falling hard with his deep breaths. "No…it can't be."

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The pirate's body dropped through the hole in the flooring of the scaffold, the crack of his neck ringing out as the rope was pulled taut.

Jim blinked away the terrible image, shaking his head as he whimpered, "No. No, you're not real. You can't be real. Silver's dead. You're…you're just a dream!" 

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"Jimbo?" the pirate spoke his name, stretching his hand outwards to reach for his cabin boy.

Tears began to roll down the boy's cheeks again and he ran his fingers fiercely back through his hair. "Go away," he moaned quietly, almost as a plea and then with more strength he cried, "Just go away. Stop tormenting me! You're not real! You're not real!"

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The crowd laughed at the boy's pitiful attempts to reach his friend even as the executioner pulled the lever that caused the floor to drop.

Silver's gaze softened on the trembling boy as he buried his face in his hands, crying out against whatever cruel tricks his mind was playing on him. Sarah had not been exaggerating when she spoke of how much he had changed. Not at all the sharp, bright-eyed teenager that he had known from Treasure Planet. No, that had all be ripped from him and now he was little more than the shell of what he used to be. Just a being in a zombie-like state that knew more torment than any person ever should.

"Jimbo," Silver spoke gently, very slowly reaching out his real, human hand towards the boy, uncertain of what his reaction would be. 

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"Jimbo?" the pirate spoke his name as he stood on the scaffold, stretching his hand outwards to reach for his cabin boy.

Jim pulled away fearfully from the hand, moving as far away from the terrible specter as he could. "No. No, please, leave me alone. You're just a dream." His whole body shook as he wrapped his arms around his stomach, trying to force down his tears. "You're not real."

"Easy now, lad," Silver soothed gently as the boy pulled away sharply from him. "Ye know I'll not be hurtin' ye." He watched for a moment as Jim simply sat there, tears rolling down his face as he continued to gasp for air. It was the first time Jim had ever cowered away from his touch, and the sight of it caused a sharp pain to fill Silver's heart, What could his tough cabin boy have seen in those dreams of his to make him now tremble in such a way? 

The old cyborg was still for a moment until he sensed Jim's emotions begin to calm and his tears subside. Again he reached out his hand slowly towards the shivering figure and, when Jim made no signs of pulling back, he took a firm yet gentle hold of his chin and turned it upward so he could look him in the face. "Not real, eh, lad? Does this feel 'not real' to you?"

Jim whimpered softly and tried to pull away, but he was held tight in the man's grasp. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to force this painful dream away.

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He felt his fingers catch hold of Silver's for but a moment, just before the plank dropped away. He tried to cling to that grasp, but it slipped from him as the pirate went down.

Gasping sharply at the vision, Jim's eyes flew open again and he reached up sharply and grasped hold of Silver's wrist. His heartbeat pounded inside of him, air seeming to not be filling his lungs properly.

Silver narrowed his eye a small amount, gazing at the boy closely, trying to get a glimpse of what apparition he had seen that caused such a reaction. The boy's eyes darted about wildly, almost as though he were seeking out the source of what he had seen. The man tightened his grip on the boy's chin a bit, forcing him to turn back towards him. "Now, ye look at me, Jimbo. It's alright, lad, just look at me." 

The feeling of the cyborg's hand holding so firmly to his chin forced Jim away from his haunting dreams and back to reality. He sniffed, forcing his eyes to focus on Silver as he commanded him. It hurt so bad to see his mentor's face staring back at him so intensely, and to feel the warm flesh of his wrist where he still grasped at it.

"I want to believe it's you," Jim whispered softly, causing the cyborg to frown just a bit. "I want to believe it's you more than anything in the world…but it can't be you. You were executed. I read about it in the newspaper. I…" he pursed his lips tightly together, forcing his eyes to look away. "I…saw it in my dream."

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The rope snapped taut as the pirate's neck cracked sharply.

Silver felt Jim begin to cringe away again and saw his eye go distant. He took both of his hands and laid them on the boy's shoulders, shaking him a small amount so that he was forced to focus on him again. "Are ye seein' it now, lad?" When Jim began to look away, he gave his shoulders another firm squeeze. "No, don't look away from me. Focus on me, Jimbo. Are ye seein' these visions now?"

Jim took in a shallow breath, forcing his mind to attempt to focus as he only gave a slow nod of his head, two tears running down his cheeks.

"What do ye see, lad?"

Again the boy's eyes went a bit distant, almost as though he could see into another world unknown to Silver. "I see… I see you dying. Hanging." He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, trying to shut out these thoughts.

"Shh. Easy, lad. Just take a deep breath and calm your mind. It's alright." Silver could see the war going on within the boy's mind as he fought between reality and this terrible world that existed only within. He now understood what his mother had meant when she said that she felt helpless to do anything. Awakening him from his sleep did not help to shield him from the images he saw. In fact, it almost seemed to intensify them.

Glancing downward to where Jim's hands still held tightly to the sheets of his bed in two balled-up fists, Silver frowned, catching a glimpse of something in the dark. Lowering his human hand away from the boy's shoulders, he took hold of his left hand and gently turned it so that the palm faced upward. His heart skipped a fearful beat within him as he caught hold of his breath. There, in a thin, red line was a precise cut across the boy's wrist.

"Jimbo," he whispered softly, and the boy slowly opened his eyes. He looked down at where the man's shocked gaze rested and he gasped sharply, attempting to pull his hand away but the pirate held firmly to it. "Jim…what is this?"

The boy looked away and whispered softly, "I…I tried to kill myself."

Running the pad of his thumb along the thin line softly, Silver shook his head in an unspeakable horror before he looked up at his cabin boy. "Why, lad?"

Only now did Jim turn back so that his eyes met those of his mentor's and when he spoke, his voice was dull. "Because I wanted to be with you. I couldn't live without you."

Silver shook his head, almost as though he didn't comprehend the words being said to him. "Oh, Jimbo. How could ye be so foolish? Do ye know what would have happened if ye had died? Why, ye're mother would have been beside herself with grief. Do ye know how much ye mean to her? Kill yerself to be with me! How could ye have even considered such a thing, lad?" His heart throbbed painfully within him as he sat back against the chair. "Ye're like a son to me. How do ye think _I_ would have gone on knowing that ye had died? By the powers, the very thought of it…" He shivered, realizing how close he had come to losing the boy, and dropped his head down into his hands. "By the powers, I love ye, Jimbo, and if you were to die…" His words trailed off as he felt the beginning of a sob well up within his throat.

There was a long pause of silence before a soft, weak voice whispered, "Silver?"

The man took in a deep, shuttering breath and slowly raised his head towards Jim. The boy now regarded him with bright, clear eyes, almost as though seeing him for the first time. It was as though a dark spell had been lifted from him and for the first time he could actually _see_. 

"Silver?" Jim whispered again, this time with a hint of wonder to his voice. "Is…is it really you?"

The old cyborg sat forward on his chair, feeling his breath catch in his throat at the sound of the boy's voice. No longer broken and terrified, but that same, familiar tone that he had so often recalled in his best of memories. "Aye, lad, it's me."

Jim shook his head, his mind telling him this couldn't be possible, but his heart telling him that it was all true. "But, the papers, they said that--."

With a raise of his mechanical hand, Silver stopped the boy's words. "Tis a long story, lad…but I managed to escape the executioner's dock once more."

"But…why didn't you come to me…or send word…or something?"

"I wanted to, Jimbo, but I had to go into hiding until the authorities stopped their search for me. Wasn't safe, ye understand." He looked long and hard at the boy's dark, clear eyes that betrayed a bit of that old hurt and sadness in their gaze. His voice was gentle as he spoke. "I came as soon as I could, lad. The moment it was safe to come out of hiding I stowed away aboard a ship bound for Montressor."

Jim looked upon his friend for a long time, studying those familiar features in the soft candlelight, noting how it flickered across the man's face and glinted off of the metallic pieces. Very slowly, almost fearfully, Jim stretched his hand outward towards Silver.

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"Jimbo?" _the pirate spoke hopefully, outstretching his hand towards the boy just before the plank was dropped from below him and--._

The image stopped. It didn't finish out the terrible scene. Jim looked down and found his hand held tightly in the pirate's massive grasp. He raised dark, tearful eyes slowly and Silver gave him a comforting smile.

"I'm right here, lad," he spoke softly, squeezing his hand firmly. "I'm right here. I'm not dead...and I'll not be leavin' ye're side."

Jim's eyes widened with wonder and the first smile in so long run across his face. "It _is_ you!" he cried out, launching himself into the pirate's strong arms without warning, clinging to him tightly about the neck. Tears began to fill his eyes again, yet this time they were tears of happiness. "It is you. I never thought I would see you again."

Silver was shocked at first by the boy's display of emotion, but then he allowed a smile to slowly spread across his face as well. He wrapped his arms around the boy lightly at first, giving a somewhat sheepish chuckle. "There, now, Jimbo, it's all right." Then he felt a sharp prick in his heart, remembering the first time he had said such words to Jim as they stood aboard the deck of the Legacy right after Arrow's death. He sighed quietly at the memories and his embrace around Jim tightened and he softly whispered once more, "It's alright."

Jim's fingertips dug into the cyborg's back and he buried his face against his shoulder. It was amazing how comforting this embrace was. To feel his friend's arms wrapped about him when he thought he would never feel such warmth and comfort again. The sound of his voice telling him that everything would be okay soothed and calmed his restless soul. 

Jim's body shook at the overwhelming emotions of having his mentor back from the dead. "I have so much to tell you," he spoke quietly against the cyborg's shoulder, not releasing his firm hold.

Silver gave a soft, gentle chuckle. "With time, Jimbo. There's plenty of time to catch up on everything."

"Don't leave me tonight, Silver. Please. I don't want to wake up and have this all be a dream."

The old pirate smiled, rubbing the boy's back in a comforting manner. "I'll not leave ye're side, lad. I promise."

"Silver?"

"Hm?"

"I love you, too."

Jim felt a warm teardrop slide down his neck…a teardrop that didn't belong to him.

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Sarah Hawkins moved down the empty hallway towards her room, her hands reaching upward to pull her hair down from its bun. She had just finished cleaning the kitchen and locking everything up for the night and was now eager for some much-needed rest. She would have to be up early the next morning to have breakfast made before the other guests at the inn awoke, but she knew Catherine would at least be there to help her. It was amazing how much more fluidly everything had started running after Sarah had been able to hire a bit more help for the inn. 

As she passed down the hallway towards her room, Sarah stopped when she realized that Jim's door was still slightly ajar. She stepped over towards it and leaned forward, trying to hear any sounds coming from within. When she didn't hear anything, she pushed the door open more so she could see in…and the sight that greeted her brought warmth to her heart.

In the flickering candlelight, Jim lay curled up on his bed fast asleep with his hand lightly resting against that of Silver's. The cyborg was slumped down a bit in his chair, hat pulled down over his eyes and feet crossed out in front of him at the ankles. Sarah smiled at the scene, amazed at how calmly Jim slept now and at how it almost seemed that Silver kept a perfect watch over the boy even as he slept. Ever the true and faithful guardian.

Stepping quietly into the room, Sarah picked up a quilt that rested at the foot of Jim's bed and gently draped it over the sleeping pirate. Nights in Montressor were known to get cold and she would hate for him to wake up with both the flu _and _a bad back from sleeping in such a precarious position. Her hands were gentle as she carefully tucked the quilt in around his large frame before bestowing a tender smile down upon him.

After she made sure Silver would be kept warm, Sarah turned to where Jim lay sleeping. Leaning over, she placed a soft, loving kiss to his forehead and ran her fingers back through his brown locks of hair. Then, with a whispered "I love you" into her son's ear, she turned about and blew out the candle with a soft breath before departing from the room.

Silver opened one eye drowsily, giving a small smile as he watched the woman leave. She was a very fine lady, indeed. Jim was lucky to have her as a mother. 

Looking down at Jim where he lay in a deep sleep, Silver gave a soft chuckle and shifted to a more comfortable position under the quilt Sarah had draped over him. Then, with a deep yawn and a close of his eyes, Silver drifted off to sleep once more…knowing that, for once, everything was exactly as it should be.

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Author's Note: Ah, well, it's not my best piece I've ever written but…well, there it is. I already have a few other TP fan fictions floating around in my mind so hopefully they'll get better as I write more. So, thank you much for reading my humble contribution to the Treasure Planet realm and, once again, I thank Raine Ishida for being such a wonderful friend, writer, and inspiration to me!


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